Measuring cutter



S. DAVIS MEASURING CUTTER Oct. 9, 1962 Filed April 6, 1961 Unite States This invention provides a measuring cutter for articles such as blocks of butter and 'the like. Its function is to slice measured amounts from such a block, such as for example l teaspoon or 1 tablespoon.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a measuring cutter device which facilitates the cutting of specified amounts of material from a block of butter, oleomargarine or other similar comestible materials.

It is a further object of the invention to permit the cutting of amounts intermediate between preselected quantities which are marked or calibrated in fixed positions on such device.

An advantage of the invention is that the block of material being out is housed in said device during said cutting, thereby making it very easy to effect such cutting or slicing Without possibility of slippage of said block during said cutting.

Others objects and advantages will more fully appear from the following description and drawin-gs, wherein is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the measuring cutter containing a block o-f butter in the process of being sliced;

y FIG. 2 represents a plan View of said device, with the block of butter removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 represents a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 represents a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 4 4 of FIG. 3.

In the drawings, similar numerals repre-sent similar parts.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a plate is provided, for example, consisting of a plastic or other reasonably rigid material which will not adversely affect the comestible material. Said plate 10 is provided with an aperture 11 extending therethrough, said aperture 11 being suitable in dimensions to accommodate or house a horizontal segment of a block of butter 12 or the like therein, as shown in FIG. 1. Plate 10 is of substantially smaller `depth than said block 12, as shown in FIG. l. The upper surface 13 of sai-d plate 10 is provided with a plurality of calibration marks 14, as shown in FIG. 2, indicative of the fact that if a block (or part of a block) is placed against the left edge 15 (in FIG. 2) of said aperture 11, and is sliced along the preselected mark 14, the size of the sliceI (reckoning from said left edge 15) will be equal to that designated adjacent said mark, as shown in FIG. 2. For example, in FIG. 2, the cutting wire 16 extends transversely across said aperture 11 and is aligned with the 3 tablespoon mark, and is therefore in proper position for slicing a 3 tablespoon segment from a block of butter or the like. It will also be evident from the drawings that if it is desired to slice an amount intermediate the calibration marks 14, this can readily be done by moving the cutting wire 16 to the appropriate position intermediate two calibration marks, e.g. 21/2 tablespoons. This interpolation can readily be performed visually, even if no such intermediate calibration marks are present, so long as the space between calibration marks is reasonably small.

In order to position said cutting wire 16 adjacent a preselected calibration mark 14, a pair of slides 17 and 18 are provided which support said cutting Wire transversely across said aperture 11. Said slides 17 and 18 are designed to ride on parallel trackways on opposite sides of said aperture 11, as shown, said trackways each comprising a pair of parallel grooves 19, 20, and 21, 22, in said plate 10, one vertically above the other, said slides 17 and 18 being provided with lianged members 23, 24, and 25, 26 adapted to ride in sad grooves. Said cutting wire 16 is suitably attached by known means to the botto-m of said slides 17 and 18, preferably to lower downwardly depending flanged portions 27, 28 of said slides 17 and 18, as shown in FIG. 4. As shown, said slides 17 and 18 are preferably in the form of integral clips having springlike properties permitting them to be inserted in the corresponding grooves 19, 20, 21, 22.

Thus, when it is desired to move cutting wire 16 into alignment with a given calibration mark 14, slides 17 and 18 are merely moved longitudinally along the aforesaid trackways to the appropriate position. With cutting wire 16 in a preselected position, the method of slicing a block of butter 12 or the like is ast follows: Plate 10 is placed over sad block 12, as in FIG. l, with said cutting wire 16 resting on the upper surface of said block 12, Plate 10 is then forced downwardly, causing cutting wire 16 to descend through block 12 at the preselected position, until it reaches the bottom of block 12, thereby slicing said block 12. Plate 1t) is then lifted upwardly and removed, leaving the block 12 sliced into two segments, the left one (in FIG. 1) being of the desired size.

Various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the inventon, the principal novel features of which are set forth below.

I claim:

1. A measuring cutter for a comestible block having predetermined `dimensions and having a pair of side edges, comprising: a plate of substantially smaller depth than said block, and having an aperture extending therethrough lof suitable shape and dimensions to loosely envelop a horizontal segment of said comestible block therein, including a pair of parallel longitudfnal sides adapted to bear loosely against said side edges of said block; a pair of trackways on said plate, extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal side edges of said aperture, at opposite sides thereof; a pair of slides adapted for sliding engagement with said trackways; a cutting wire mounted transversely across said aperture on said slides; and a set of graduated calibration marks arranged in a longitudinal sequence along the upper surface of said plate, indicative of the quantity to be cut from said block when said cutting wire is aligned with any o-f said marks.

2. A measuring cutter for a comestible block having predetermined dimensions and having a pair of side edges, comprising: a plate of substantially smaller depth than said block, and having an aperture extending therethrough of suitable shape and dimensions to loosely envelop a horizontal segment of said comestible block therein, including a pair of parallel longitudinal sides adapted to bear loosely against said side edges of said block; a pair of trackways on said plate, extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal side edges of said aperture, at opposite sides thereof, each of said trackways consisting of a pair of parallel grooves in said plate, one vertically above the other; a pair of slides adapted for sliding engagement with said trackways; an upper downwardly dep-ending and a lower upwardly extending anged member on each of said slides, adapted for sliding engagement in the aforesaid correspond'ng grooves in said plate; a cutting wire mounted transversely across said aperture on and beneath said slides; and a set of graduated calibration marks arranged in a longitudinal sequence along the upper surface of said plate, indicative of the quantity to be cut from saz'd block when said cutting wire is aligned with any of said marks.

3. The measuring cutter set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said slides is also provided with a lower downwardly depending anged portion, and wherein Said cutting wire is axed to said lower downwardly depending flanged portion.

4. The measuring cutter set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said slides comprises an integral member having springlike properties permitting it to be introduced into said grooves, and wherein each of said slides comprises: a vertical outer platelike member of height slightly exceeding the depth of said plate and adapted to ride along an outer longitudinal edge of said plate; an upper horizontal platelike member axed on the upper edge of said vertical member, of sufficient length to reach an upper groove in said plate; an upper downwardly depending flange member aixed to the inner edge of said upper horizontal member and adapted for sliding engagement with said upper groove; a lower horizontal platelike member affixed on the lower edge of said vertical member and extending towards the corresponding lower groove in said plate; a downwardly depending platelike member aixed to the inner edge of said lower horizontal member; and a lower upwardly extending flange member aixed to the lower edge of said downwardly depending platelike member and adapted for sliding engagement with the corresponding lower groove in said plate.

5. A measuring cut-ter for a comestible block having predetermined dimensions and having a pair of side edges comprising: a plate of substantially smaller depth than said block, and having an aperture extending therethrough of suitable shape and dimensions to loosely envelop a horizontal segment of said comestible block therein, including a pair of parallel longitudinal sides adapted to bear loosely against said side edges of said block; a pair of Vtrackways on said plate, extending substantially parallel to said side edges of said aperture, at opposite sides thereof, each of said trackways consisting of a longitudinal groove in said plate; a pair of slides adapted for sliding engagement with said trackways; an upper downwardly depending flanged member on each of said slides, adapted for sliding engagement in the aforesaid groove; a cutting wire mounted `transversely across said aperture on said slides; and a set of graduated calibration marks i arranged in a longitudinal sequence along the upper surface of said plate, indicative o-f the quantity to be cut from said block when said cutting wire is aligned with any of said marks.

6. The measuring cutter set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said slides possesses springlike properties permitting it to be introduced into said groove, and wherein each of said slides comprises: a vertical outer platelike member of height slightly exceeding the depth of said plate and adapted to ride along an outer longitudinal edge of said plate; an upper horizontal inwardly extending platelike member aixed on the upper edge of said vertical member, of suflicent length to reach said groove in said plate; an upper `downwardly depending ange member aixed 4to the inner edge of said upper horizontal member and adapted for sliding engagement with said groove; a lower horizontal inwardly extending platelike member axed on the lower edge of said vertical member; and means mounted beneath said lower horizontal platelike member for axing thereto said cutting wire.

7. A measuring cutter for a comestible block having lpredetermined dimensions and :having a pair of side edges, compris'ng: a plate of substantially smaller depth than said block, and lhaving an aperture extending therethrough of suitable shape and dimensions to loosely en velop a horizontal segment of said comestible block therein, including a pair of parallel longitudinal sides adapted to bear loosely against Asaid 'side edges of said block; a pair of trackways on said plate, extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal side edges of said aperture, at opposite sides thereof; a pair of slides adapted for sliding engagement with said trackways; cutting'means mounted transversely across said aperture of said slides; and a se-t of graduated calibration marks arranged in a longitudinal sequence `along the upper surface of said plate, indicative of the quantity to be cut from said block when said cutting means is aligned with any of said marks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 

